simile

C2+ Topic:Communication

US /ˈsɪməli/ UK /ˈsɪmɪli/ See IPA manual

Homophones

similarly /ˈsɪm.əli/

Meanings

1

noun
a figure of speech comparing two things using 'like' or 'as'

'As brave as a lion' is a classic simile.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a figure of speech... comparison likeness analogy metaphor parallel

Word family

Related forms similar similitude assimilate semblance

Etymology

From Latin simile ('a like thing'), the neuter of similis ('like, resembling').

simile Latin similis Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Language & Linguistics Literature & Storytelling

External links

# simile

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈsɪməli/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsɪmɪli/

## Meanings
1. a figure of speech comparing two things using 'like' or 'as'

## Examples
- 'As brave as a lion' is a classic simile.

## Synonyms
- comparison
- likeness
- analogy
- metaphor
- parallel

## Related Forms
- similar
- similitude
- assimilate
- semblance

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: simile
- Root: similis

## Etymology
From Latin simile ('a like thing'), the neuter of similis ('like, resembling').

## AI Etymology
Simile comes from Latin simile ('a like thing'), the neuter of similis ('like, resembling'). The historical chain includes Latin simile and Latin similis. The quoted older senses, "a like thing" and "like, resembling", supply the semantic anchors for simile. The formation is best read as borrowed: the word simile carries its older form-history into a compact English lexical shape. In present English it is used as a noun, "a figure of speech comparing two things using 'like' or 'as'". Related English forms include similar, similitude, assimilate, and semblance. The result is a noun whose etymology preserves both the older form and the later English specialization.

## Topics
- Communication
- Language & Linguistics
- Literature & Storytelling

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